Tag Archives: run

Sunderland axe O'Neill after dismal run leaves them one point above the drop zone

PUBLISHED:

21:40 GMT, 30 March 2013

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UPDATED:

21:47 GMT, 30 March 2013

Martin O'Neill parted company with Sunderland after the Black Cats slipped deeper into relegation trouble.

The 61-year-old's departure was confirmed hours after Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Manchester United, which left the club sitting just a point clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone with seven games left to play.

A club statement said: 'Sunderland AFC has announced that it has parted company with manager Martin O'Neill this evening.

Time's up: Sunderland have axed Martin O'Neill

'The club would like to place on record its thanks to Martin and wishes him well for the future.

'An announcement will be made in the coming days regarding a successor..

The tough run starts now: Allardyce braced for big guns… starting with champions City

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UPDATED:

13:15 GMT, 1 November 2012

Tough run-in: Hammers boss Sam Allardyce

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is preparing for a difficult run of Barclays Premier League fixtures, starting with Manchester City on Saturday.

The Hammers have lost three league games since being promoted last season and sit ninth in the table.

But Allardyce could be glad of the 14 points already accrued as his side face the champions at the weekend before taking on Newcastle, Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the coming weeks.

'We knew (about the fixtures) at the start of the season and that is why we were looking to get the points on the board that we did and like I say, nine games have passed by and we have had two disappointing results, both away (from home),' he said.

Allardyce admits he is not expecting to pick up a high number of points during a difficult run but still feels other sides will be envious of West Ham's current situation.

Defeat: West Ham fell 2-1 to Wigan last weekend

'Certainly Southampton and Reading will be looking at us and be a little jealous but there is this group of fixtures and it will be very difficult indeed,' he said.

'We accept that we probably won't get as many points as we have collected in the first part of the season but we have got to try and get as many points as we possibly can and then move on to late December and January.'

CITY DEFENDER ZABALETA FIT TO FACE HAMMERS

Pablo Zabaleta has eased Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini's defensive injury concerns by declaring himself fit for Saturday's trip to West Ham.

The Barclays Premier League champions feared having no fit specialist right-back after Micah Richards last week joined Zabaleta and Maicon on the injury list.

But Zabaleta (pictured, below), after sitting out three matches with a hamstring injury suffered on international duty, is now ready to return.

The 27-year-old told the club's website: 'I feel good, I've been training with the team and I think I should be fine to play on Saturday.'We have some problems in defence at the moment. We've had three full-backs injured over the past few months, so it is great to be back with the team.'

Brazil international Maicon has made just two appearances since his August deadline day move from Inter Milan after suffering a foot injury in the Champions League loss at Real Madrid.

Richards missed the start of the season with an ankle problem sustained representing Great Britain at the Olympics and had been in just his fourth game back when injured last weekend.

The 24-year-old required surgery and faces up to 16 weeks on the sidelines after going down in agony clutching his knee late in the 1-0 win over Swansea at the Etihad Stadium.

Zabaleta said: 'It's very disappointing for Micah.

'He's been injured from the start of the season, then he came back and was playing well, but now he has this knee injury.

'This is a time when he has to be extra strong. Obviously it is difficult physically, but also mentally it is very tough when you are injured, you have to stay very strong.'

Midfielder Javi Garcia is also hoping to prove his fitness for the weekend after four games out with a thigh injury.

Hit the road, Matt… Sportsmail's man begins his journey ahead of British 10k Run

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UPDATED:

10:43 GMT, 27 April 2012

Sportsmail's Matt Lawless has taken up the challenge of running the 2012 Nike 10k British Run.

Here, he will share the highs, lows, aches and pains of his training during the countdown to the big race in July.

How will he fare in what will be his first-ever competitive run

Keep track of Matt's progress at: www.dailymail.co.uk/sport

Running. I spend most of my life running. Running for the train. Running to pick my son up from school. Running errands, coffee run (sometimes)… you get the idea.

But never before have I run competitively (apparently, third place in the 100 metres at Warren Comprehensive School Sports Day in 2001 does not count).

That will change on Sunday, July 8, however, when I join 25,000 runners pounding the streets of London in the Nike 10k British Run.

Why Well, why not Truth be told, I needed an incentive to keep fit beyond the football season and that certainly wasn’t going to come in the form of spending three-and-a-half hours driving a buggy along a fairway, only to exit for brief (attempted) swings of a golf club.

Start me up: Sportsmail's Matt Lawless will join the runners competing in London on July 8

Running, I’m told, is THE best way to keep in shape. ‘Brilliant, where do I sign up’ I asked the organisers. Hopefully, I won’t live to regret my unbounded enthusiasm.

I watched with genuine excitement as thousands crossed the line last weekend to complete the London Marathon. I imagined what it would be like to be soaking up the support from the pavement and pushing myself to the limit.

Certainly, 10k is no marathon. In fact, it’s around 20 miles less. Yet that’s still some distance for me to achieve. I’m a first-timer, after all.

But I can’t wait to experience that high of crossing the line and I’m ready for a challenging 10 weeks.

To kickstart my journey, I headed into central London for a Gait Analysis session. According to the experts at NikeTown, Gait is the way in which we move our body from one point to another.

The analysis involves a 15-second recorded stint on the treadmill, running at a comfortable pace to assess the way in which you run.

Enlarge

Man with a plan: Training begins with a gentle run just under the midway point of 5km

Any abnormalities in the technique are highlighted in the debrief where, after the advisors have consulted the video evidence, the right footwear is selected to help the runner avoid potential injury.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

If you’re taking part in the 10k British race and
a first time runner like me, I’d love to hear from you and share the
journey along the way before the main event.

And if you’re an experienced pacemaker, I’d be keen to hear your thoughts and advice too.

Stayed tuned for my next post in May.

I've done some research and read a few select running magazines recently to help understand what I’m getting myself into, and it appears Gait Analysis is a common – and recommended – practice for first-timers when choosing their trainers.

There’s much discussion surrounding the ‘Barefoot debate’ too (perhaps one to pick up on a later blog) but for now, to get started, I’m training with a cushioned sole to support my relatively untested feet.

I’ve had several short runs to ease me into a routine, but the hard work begins on Monday with a 5k jog – my furthest distance to date (please don’t laugh). My opening target time is 30 minutes.

For more on the Nike 10k British Run, go to: www.thebritish10klondon.co.ukAnd for information on Nike Running, visit: www.facebook.com/NikeRunningUK

A jubilant Tony McCoy enters the unsaddling enclosure at Cheltenham after winning the Gold Cup on Synchronised,

This is one of the busiest races in the calendar, with all the talk before about Kauto Star going for his third win. As this was the story of the day I was focusing on Kauto Star, who unfortunately pulled up halfway through the race.

I had to run and photograph a dejected Ruby Walsh on Kauto Star then rush to the final jump for an action picture. As soon as I had that it was then a mad run back to the winner's enclosure to capture this image of the jockey.

Normally McCoy doesn’t show too much emotion but here he is thrilled with his win after snatching it from another favourite Long Run. The delight on the punter’s and stable girl’s faces is clear to see.